I'm pretty sure that Zuko will renounce his family in the end...we got a taste of that already, and I get the impression he is a genuinely good person. He's just been mislead, misdirected; which is why Uncle is so important.
And I agree with you, Dan, Zuko's journey is the most interesting part for me as well. I think partially because though my difficulties are on a smaller scale, I have experienced something that brought out similar reactions recently...and what he's having to confront is basically human nature and an ever-present part of life, though it manifests itself differently according to the situation.

About waterbending and healing. I'm intrigued by the idea that perhaps healing is an ability peculiar to waterbending...
One of my strongest interests is holistic healing and the use of medicinal herbs. I am not New Age, but despite that believe very much in holistic ideas...and that's something that's being emphasized in Avatar. I think I mentioned earlier that the body often reflects the struggles of the mind and spirit, which is obvious in Zuko's case. It makes sense that some waterbenders would be able to heal, because if you think about it, waterbending is sort of a more holistic thing anyway.

Regardless. It's all really interesting stuff, and a lot more serious than many cartoons.

***Edit***
Oh no! I just read that Mako, the voice actor for Uncle Iroh, passed away this past July. Maybe I'm behind, but I wasn't aware of this. Apparently they finished recording season 2 before he died, but they'll have to recast for season 3.
If this is true, it's really upsetting. Iroh's voice is really what made his character.

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Yeah, I heard about that, Nie. I'll have to show you guys the particular deviantart artwork I found in honor of his death...

I recently saw the episode "Zuko Alone" from book 2, and it was just amazing! The trials that Zuko went through as a child, and if Azula really is younger than Zuko ---- Zuko sure was a wussy when they were kids. I LOVE Ursa to pieces. Do we find out what really happened to her? Or why she left?

Azula was just BORN a villain, it's so disturbing. I keep having the distinct feeling that Azula's older by the flashbacks and her disposition as opposed to Zuko's. However, when Azula pulled that little trick on Mai & Zuko, it did seem that she was in fact younger. Hmmm, that's something we have to ask Mike & Brian of Avatar.

I do find it very realistic that people of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation and the Water Tribes are so prejudice against each other ---- even if you know the person's good, if they're from the enemy nation/tribe/kingdom, you're just simply supposed to hate them because that's how the generation before them acted towards them.

I just love this show. Even if it's such a serious moment, it's those little things that just make you laugh.

Zuko gives the boy his knife that Iroh sent him during the war.
Zuko: "Make sure you read the inscription."
Boy: "Made in Earth Kingdom."
Zuko: "The other inscription."
Boy: "Never give up without a fight." <-- I THINK that's the saying, it's been a full 12 hours.

EDIT: Here's the fanart tribute to Mako Iwamatsu. It's so touching. [Clickie Here]

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*sigh* Now I'm really sad. I don't know how anyone could replace Mako.
Thanks for sharing the tribute, Kit- I want to print it out and put it on my wall.

And omigosh, you won't believe what I spent the afternoon doing yesterday. Waterbending. I went over to babysit for friends, and it turns out they're big Avatar fans. The four year old, Seth, wanted to be a Fire Nation guard, and he said the two year old, James, had to be Prince Zuko. He then ordered me to be Katara. We spentat least an hour and a half, maybe two hours, running around in circles, 'bending' water and fire at each other. It was so much fun!
An adult without an imagination is a sorry thing. A teenager without an imagination can be even worse.
And then we got to watch Avatar on their home theater. That. Was. Cool.

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Kudos to Kitoky for the fabulous signature set, and art credit to engelszorn.
Who wants to join me in bringing back the lady?

Nie, that's just fantastic!! Oh how fun! To be a kid again is wonderful. Another plus of Avatar. It's such a kids' show but adults can enjoy it, too.

"I think Prince Zuko needs his diaper changed." LOL! Oh so hilarious.

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I'm seventeen and I love Avatar. Some people may call me a geek, but who cares. I find myself wisheing i could just flick my wrist and butn someone to a crisp. That would be fun.

Mako is dead? His voice really did make the character. I'm upset now..

Random Avatar quote.

"Aang, this is my friend Foo-Foo Cuddly Poops. Foo-Foo Cuddly Poops, Aang."

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^:lol:


I didn't hear about it until recently either. I'm so out of the loop.

When I actually still watched cartoons, this was my favorite show. Basically the only good on on nickelodeon.

Agreed, timtimtimtim.

I still watch it even if I don't watch many cartoons on TV anymore. This is definitely one I'll always tune-in for.

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Oh, I love this show! For some reason my favorite character is Azula (On the previous page, you guys were discussing her age, I looked it up and it said she was 14...) Anyways, Oh, I really like Katara as well.

I had a dream the other night that I was an Earth-bender, it was an animated dream, it was strange Oohh well....

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I read that too, Sida, on wikipedia...I suspect that the Avatar people got someone to go in and write all that info, because it's pretty detailed. Zuko's sixteen, though it says he might be seventeen by now. I think he's a little too busy worrying over his destiny to celebrate his birthday.

I've never been a huge cartoon watcher. Avatar is the only cartoon I regularly watch.

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Who wants to join me in bringing back the lady?

Ok, question. I read somewhere, Aang will begin learning firebending and eventually face the Fire Lord. In my opinion, i'd stretch facing Ozai until another season but that's another discussion. Who do you guys think will teach Aang firebending?

I'm hoping they rescue Iroh and have him teach Aang, but maybe they'll bring in some new guy or that other guy who started teaching him before. Thoughts?

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It is possible that Iroh will be the one teaching Aang. I did have this thought that if Zuko turned on the Fire Nation and joined the Avatar-team, he would be teaching Aang but as we find out, Zuko has a lot to learn himself.

Psychologically, I don't know if Iroh wants to teach anyone else Firebending because of his "failure" with Zuko when the moment came to be dire. However, my main concern is Aang and his position with the Avatar State. What exactly is the Avatar State? I never quite understood that---because I thought it was just a state where he could control all the elements at a maximum level but if he hasn't mastered Firebending, how does he achieve the Avatar State?

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OH OH I KNOW!!! Ok, let me see if I remember correctly. The Avatar State is a defense mechanism in which Avatars can recall on the knowledge of all the past Avatars, this is represented by the glowing. Thus, its a point at which they are at their most powerful and can achieve pretty much anything. The downside: they're also at their most vulnerable; if an Avatar dies in the Avatar state, the reincarnation cycle is broken and the Avatar will be no more. So far Aang's been able to go in the Avatar state in moments of extreme danger or emotional distress, but he has no control over his actions in this state and can't remember anything afterwards. In the second-to-last episode of Book 2, a Guru was teaching Aang how to be in control of the Avatar state, and although he didn't finish completely I think he was able to do it in the finale, at least that's what it looked like.

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Right...and then Azula hit him. It seemed to me as though it was almost pointless- Aang didn't do anything except float up in the air before he was attacked. What exactly was he supposed to be able to do while in the Avatar State?

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I was Nienor before Nienor was cool. *nods coolly*
Kudos to Kitoky for the fabulous signature set, and art credit to engelszorn.
Who wants to join me in bringing back the lady?

Kick some evil behind! While in the avatar state he's very powerful (Very, very, very, very powerful) Taking out a few dozen benders wouldn't have been too hard for him if Azula hadn't shot him in the back.

It would be so cool if Iroh taught Aang. I can't see Zuko teaching Aang. I don't know why, but he seems just too angry at the world to be teaching. Oh Zuko, my emo-boy.

Zuko is so emo. xDD That's probably 50% of the reason why fangirls love him.

I love that plot twist about the Avatar-State though. The line of Avatar reincarnation would be broken; that's deep right there. I still can't believe it's a kids' show. Amazing.

In Book 2 finale, Aang was trying to achieve the Avatar-State and he was about to reach that point until Azula struck him in the back with her lightning bending----however, the figure... his... "really big" Avatar-figure fell and disappeared while when he snapped out of it when he tried it with the Guru, it simply stayed there. What does that mean? Do you really think Aang can achieve the Avatar-State again after the figure has fallen?

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